Adjustable stools are known in the prior art as can be seen for example by reference to U.S. Pat. No. 4,624,341. The benefits of stepping exercises have long been recognized in the prior art both for cardiovascular training as well as for diagnostic medical testing. Examples of equipment used for such stepping exercises are shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,900,012; 4,648,593; 3,743,283; and 3,035,671. These devices, while effective, all tend to be rather large, bulky, complex and/or expensive pieces of equipment.
What is needed is a simple step stool which can be manufactured in large quantities at a low cost, which can take several different height forms for use by persons of different size and/or for more or less vigorous exercise, is inexpensive and which can be stored easily in a gymnasium or in other facilities used for storing aerobic equipment where it may be necessary that two dozen or so units be kept together at the same time.
Recently, a step device has been provided which achieves some of the above goals. The recent device is a molded four-inch step having two indentations in its bottom into which two small four-inch base elements can be inserted to increase the height of the device from four to eight inches. The base elements themselves also have indentations in their bottoms into which second small base elements can be inserted to increase the height from eight to twelve inches. This device has been advertised, and while it may have received some degree of commercial acceptability, it has a serious defect in that it is not easily stored. If the device is stored with all of the inserts in their inserted positions, the device takes up space of one full foot in height. If the device is stored with all the parts separated, there are at least five separate parts to keep track of and which can become lost.
What is still needed is a device which can be stored in a compact condition, smaller than the above mentioned device, and yet which can be used to create a step stool having a variety of different exercising heights.